Abstract
Solid bricks manufactured out of clayey earth from a quarry near the city of Granada (Spain) were studied and compared with others to which two additives were added during the kneading of the raw material: Calcined diatomite sludge and sodium chloride. Samples with and without additives were fired at 800 °C, 950 °C, and 1100 °C. New mineral phases were formed in the bricks after firing. These included gehlenite, diopside, and plagioclase, which is gradually enriched in calcium, and microcline, which is transformed into sanidine. Mullite and molysite also appeared in the bricks made with added salt. Porosity increased substantially in the bricks that contained diatomite sludge, while the addition of sodium chloride accelerated the mineralogical transformations and caused sintering at relatively low temperatures of 800 °C. The bricks became more compact and less anisotropic as the firing temperature increased. This behaviour was less evident in the bricks with added diatomite sludge, which alters the orientation of the phyllosilicates. The bricks fired at 1100 °C had the best physical parameters. However, the bricks with added sodium chloride fired at 800 °C reached hygric and compactness values that were at least similar to bricks from the other groups fired at 950 °C.
Highlights
Bricks are some of the oldest manmade masonry building materials, which is why they are often found in monuments with great heritage value [1]
The sodium chloride is edible sea salt produced by the company, Salinera Española S.A. (Palma de Mallorca, Spain), which is obtained by natural evaporation of seawater. 30 wt% salt was added to the water used for kneading the clay to analyse possible improvements in the quality of the fired pieces, such as, for example, greater vitrification
Bricks made with a raw material from Jun (Granada, Spain) and fired at 800 ◦ C, with a raw material fromand
Summary
Bricks are some of the oldest manmade masonry building materials, which is why they are often found in monuments with great heritage value [1]. Bricks are usually made out of local earths, which means that the composition varies from one region to the next. Bricks are usually made out of local earths, which means that the composition varies from one region to the This makes them very economical and easy to produce. Perhaps the most important change is that today there is tight control over the different stages of the production process to ensure that a more standardized, high quality material is obtained. In spite of these controls, worn or damaged bricks can sometimes be found in new buildings. The brick industry is experimenting with new resources and ideas aimed at improving the properties
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